Black Stork Nest in Karula - 2018

[Liz01]

There seem to be constant black discoloration. Kati had that last year. I hope you can see it in this picture from May 2017.
http://up.picr.de/32411438xh.jpg

Oh, Is the picture too big now? Do I have to do something small?

thank you Swenja I can see the black spot very well but was is it?

[Solo]

There seem to be constant black discoloration. Kati had that last year. I hope you can see it in this picture from May 2017. http://up.picr.de/32411438xh.jpg ...

TY Swenja, also not only in this year she has that black on her legs

Oh, Is the picture too big now? Do I have to do something small?

max size 800x600

[Anne7]

There seem to be constant black discoloration. Kati had that last year. I hope you can see it in this picture from May 2017.

You are right, Swenja, many BS have those black spots on their legs.
Some have them on the bare skin around the eyes too. Must be normal pigmentation.
Kind of freckles, due to the sun. I've been surching for many pics yesterday (not only from Kati), and it's not something exceptional or new (this year).

(Of course, in extreme cold, their feet could get damaged by frost. But I think this is not the case here with Kati's legs.)

[Liz01]

UteL. - TY very much (I had with one HU observer discussion in this direction)
- the source, pls ?

I'm not Ute, but here is a source for it:

Northwestern European populations of White Storks (Ciconia ciconia) have been restored by settling young birds which, after having been maintained captive for 3 years, do not migrate when released. Since they are still supplied with food, the question we address here is how settled White Storks would cope with a fast resulting from a cold spell if food were no longer available. We therefore measured daily body mass loss, nitrogen excretion and daily energy expenditure under natural photoperiod and climatic conditions in six captive White Storks exposed to 5 days of food deprivation during winter. Daily ambient temperature ranged between -10 and 17 degrees C. After an initial decrease in both daily body mass loss and nitrogen excretion during the first day of fasting, these two parameters stabilized at low values. Lipids were the main fuel energy source (91%) and body proteins accounted for the remainder (9%). The rate of CO(2) production, measured with the doubly labeled water method, decreased significantly (P<0.001) during fasting when compared to the ad libitum value. Our data show that the metabolic adjustments of White Storks facing starvation are similar to those found in birds well-adapted to long-term fasting. From the determination of lipid and protein stores and of lipid and protein depletion rates, we conclude that White Storks would be able to survive at least during 4 weeks, a period of time twice as long as the duration of cold spells usually occurring in the Alsace region

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11672686

[Swenja]

thank you Swenja I can see the black spot very well but was is it?

I think the black discoloration comes from the sun. When the stork goes through the water, it is like a magnifying glass and the sun shines on the legs especially strong at this point.
White storks lime their legs with feces to protect them from the sun. Do the black storks too? I have not seen black storks yet.
Karl also has some black on his legs, but not as much as Kati has.

[UteL.]

UteL. - TY very much (I had with one HU observer discussion in this direction)
- the source, pls ?

probably the same (Ciconia-Horst)

[Liz01]

s not quite the answer, but you can see that they live well down to -17 °. That's valid too or black stork as well. They only need open water. This information can be found on Goris. lv

I've to work

[Liz01]

I think the black discoloration comes from the sun. When the stork goes through the water, it is like a magnifying glass and the sun shines on the legs especially strong at this point.
White storks lime their legs with feces to protect them from the sun. Do the black storks too? I have not seen black storks yet.
Karl also has some black on his legs, but not as much as Kati has.

That was my first thought, I also wrote it- but someone wrote it comes from the frost.. thank you once more!

[Swenja]

TY Swenja, also not only in this year she has that black on her legs

max size 800x600

Thanks! I did it on 800x600 pix. Now it should be good.

[Solo]

I'm not Ute, but here is a source for it: ... we conclude that White Storks would be able to survive at least during 4 weeks, a period of time twice as long as the duration of cold spells usually occurring in the Alsace region. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11672686

Liz, TY

Swenja, Anne7, Liz, baska ... thank to all, who carry into this discussion about black spots on storks legs (and cold)

[Timea]

10.40:

[Anne7]

I read and noticed:
Up to -20 ° C, WS have no problems with the cold, provided that they find enough food to fuel the energy they need.
Storks have on the feathered part of the lower leg, the so-called miracle netting, which exploits the countercurrent principle of thermal engineering. It is an intertwined arterial and venous network that is an excellent thermoregulator in both warm and cold times. Because the feet are not cooled below + 4 ° C, waterfowl therefore do not freeze on ice surfaces.

UteL. - TY very much (I had with one HU observer discussion in this direction) - the source, pls ?

I'm not Ute, but here is a source for it:
Northwestern European populations of White Storks...
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11672686

Liz, the (interesting) source you provided is not talking about the same things as the (also very interesting) text Ute posted. Is it a source for it?

[UteL.]

....

White storks lime their legs with feces to protect them from the sun. Do the black storks too? I have not seen black storks yet.
Karl also has some black on his legs, but not as much as Kati has.

That's what I asked myself last year. It's probably not that necessary, because they live in the forest? Less common?

[Timea]

10.44:

Preening and scratching

[Liz01]

Liz, the (interesting) source you provided is not talking about the same things as the (also very interesting) text Ute posted. Is it a source for it?

s not quite the answer, but you can see that they live well down to -17 °. That's valid too or black stork as well. They only need open water. This information can be found on Goris. lv

I've to work

Anne I will found it later ... today I really must a bit work

[Liz01]

White storks lime their legs with feces to protect them from the sun. Do the black storks too? I have not seen black storks yet.

I saw it on the latvian nest by the Storklets. I do not know if the adult Stork did it there. But I think I saw it on the nest of Tobias

Solo

[Liz01]

Storks and cold...
An article of the Bavarian nature conservation LBV

....
"The stork as a large bird is hardly affected by the cold because it can store the heat much better than small songbirds like tits and sparrow, which always overwinter with us," explains Oda Wieding, director of the LBV species assistance project white stork. "The white storks start their weeks-long journey to the south only because of the food shortage in European winter.

it conitues.. GT and I
However, as long as there is no snow cover and there is severe, prolonged frost, the stork will still find enough food in our latitudes, such as mice, earthworms, small snails, fish, etc. "Only when food shortages persist,
the storks will continue to migrate to the large river meadows or to Lake Constance, where the climate is slightly cheaper and therefore the food supply is greater. These birds keep an eye on the stork guards, but intervention is not necessary.
Do not feed individual animals!
The establishment of a feeding point is more of a hindrance, because so the storks get used to it and thus be made dependent on feeding, while they otherwise follow their instincts and then compete in actual food shortages but a so-called part train.

https://www.lbv.de/naturschutz/artensch ... im-winter/

[Timea]

11.28:
Cuddling Karl

[Solo]

I saw it on the latvian nest by the Storklets. I do not know if the adult Stork did it there. But I think I saw it on the nest of Tobias Solo

yes, they all has white legs (urohidrosis) -also the storklets in hot summer days

[Summi]

11.28:
Cuddling Karl

This cuddling session goes on and on. So cute.